Circulating water-level control



Apri@ M9 393i@ R. B. EvERsoN 1,800,378

CIRCULATING WATER LEVEL CONTROL Filed Feb. 23, 1929 i Patented Apr. 14, V1931 -Ni'ren STATES NP Arai orsi e".

RoY BLAIR nvERsoN, oF CHICAGQILLINOIS,lissIGnoR To THE RvRRsoN FILTER coivr- PANY, oRcHIcAGo, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINoIs c CIJRCULATING AVlfA'II'ER-LIElVlElL CONTROL Application Vfiled February 23, 192.9. Serial No. 341,949.

This invention is intended primarily for usein association with swimming pools, or display fountains and the like; andthe v0b- 'jects of ythe invention are primarily to provide means, for regulatingthe water level in a pool, during the period oi' recirculation; whichkpool in .itself vis part `of a recirculating .system such as is now commonly used for the purifying of the water in a swimming pool., and thus-permitting the :water to be used over again. A i i l At the present time these circulating sys-V tems` operate under a pressure which is in excess ofthe water'pressuremaintained in the city kwater mains, which vInains are the initialsource of-water supply Vforthe pools, and it has beenfound that often through carelessness on the part of the operator, the water from the-pool-has ybeen-'allowed to back up and enter the city water mains, which is not satisfactory and is condemned by lthe various ,boardsr of -health in the larger 1 cities.

Therefore, one of the .major objects ot this invention is yto 'eliminate any possibilityof the water in the swimming pool, either be.- fore or after it has been purilied, from backing Iup or entering the city 'water 4supply through any faultyinanipulation ofl the recirculating equipment.

I c f Another ob'ect oitl'iis invention isto eliminate the possibility ofthe sewer backing'up, entering, and contaminating the recirculating system. y y 's A further, and a very important object of this invention is to provide vmeans whereby a reserve supply of waterv is maintained' at all times, independentof the ywater level in the pool, at the Sametime .peiinittingofthe constant and' uninterrupted recirculation of the ywater forthe pool.' E

A still further object of this invention is to make the .pool itself vanemergency reservoi'r, Vand to provide a make-up water tank, oran independentfineansof storingfup and thusedualizing the overflow from the pool, which overflow-may be occ'zasioned x3-ya large number of'bathers entering the pool vat one time; and from this makeup ltank` providing means ffori'putting this .overflow vback-,intoy circulation and thuspreventing its loss as heretofore.V y f i vThe accompanying drawing illustrates a portion of the-deep end olf-a swimming poo-l, and vthe make-.up tank, shown in section; the

control system of pipingvand valves being shown in elevation. 1

In the description of vmy invention I have chosen to show the deep end fof a lstandard form of swimming .pool in ycross section, be-

ing designated by the .reference character 1. Ata point adjacent to, `and preferably below the swimming pool, 'I have provided an open top tank 2, which yI shall term amake-uptank, and which make-up tanklhas its overflow 3, near the top as shown, and drain 4, at the bottom. Through'the usual drain 5, preferably located asshown at thedeepest point of the Apool l, the vwater ofthe pool is conveyed by means ofthe pipe 6, andvalve 9, either directly to theniakeaip tank 2, yor is 'bypassed throuo'hthe pipe 7, and valve 10,-tothe floor drain z(not shown) which floor drain connects direct .to the sewer; therefore,by

means of alternately opening and closing the L.'

valves 9- and l0, the water from the ypool is drained either directly into the make-up tank orfsevver. VW'here the pi'pefG, vterminates at .the make-up tank, a float valvevw' is provided, which opens'when the water level goes below the line 29, and which valve closes whenthefwater llevel raises above the line 29.

In the wall of `the' pOOLpreerably adjacentto the top rim or gutter, is interposed a drain or skimmer litting 1 1, which is connected by means of the' pipe 12, andvalve 12a, to

a vertical open top'stack y13, which, like the Y pipe 6, discharges into `the 4i'nakeeup `,ta-nk 2 atapointabovethe overflow 3. f

`Where the' pipe "13 'terminatesv at ythe l'make up tank, afloat-valve` 13a, iis provided, which ilar drain fitting l4,f`which, llikewise, is connected fby the `pipe '15 and .valve 16 t-o :the

stack 13; branching upwardly frointhe ypipe belowthefittingll, ijs'lo'cated another or si'in- I 15, between the fitting 14 and valve 16 are located a plurality of pipes 17, 18 and 19 which parallel the pipe 15, and in the same manner are provided with valves 20, 21 and 22 pist before they enter the stack 13.

The initial water supply, preferably from the city water' mains, is broughtto the makeup tank by means of the pipe 23, and manually operated valve 28a. lVhere the pipe 23 terminates at a point several/.inches above the topoii the makesup tank, a float valve 24ris provided, which opens when the water level goes below the line 31, and which valve closes when the water level rises above the line 81, or approximates the overflow 3 of the makeup tank. i

The drain 4, from the make-up tank 2, enters thevpipe fia, `and through the valve 25,

vdischargesto the floor, and through the neer drain to the sewer (not shown) or by means of the valve 26, the water from the tank 2, is pumped into the water purifying system (not shown) for recirculation and nal discharge into the pool 1.

In operation, all valves are closed. @pen the valve 23a, and 12a. The make-up tank 2, being empty leaves the ioat valve 24, open on the end of the initialwater supply line 2S, thus starting to fill this tank to the level indicated as 3l. The valve 26Vis opened, allowing this fresh or raw water to enterl the purifying system (not shown)V where 1-t 1s put under pressure and fed to the swimming pool. Vhen the water level in the pool reaches the point indicated in the pool as 2t it will overflow, or skim as it is termed, ba ck through the iitting 11, pipe 12, and valve 12a into the stack 13 and then into the makeup tank 2. The water level in the make-up tank ultimately reaches the point indicated` as 30, at which time the iioat valve 13a will close, this will allow the water level in the make-up tank to rise to the level indicated at 31, when the float valve 24 will close and prevent any more raw water to enter thesystem.

The valve 23a i-s now closed, thus shutting off all connections with the city water supl p llhe valve 9, is next opened, but as the water level in the make-up tank is atr31, a point above that level 29,.the float valve 6a remains closed. i v Y Y .Y

VShould the water level in the pool rise to a point above that as indicated atV 27, with the water level at 31 in the make-up tank, which condition would be occasioned by a large number of bathers'entering the pool at one time, the resulting overflow wlll be retained in the pool and raise the Vwater level in the pool up to its overflowygutter 32, where the water will pass into the main drain of the building and then to the sewer; as the float valve 13a will be closed, the water level in the makeup tank being at 31, and above the level 30.

Vhen this high water level recedes, that is, when the bathers are again out of the pool, the water again seeks the level 27, and due to the continuous drain on the make-up tank occasioned by the recirculating pumps, the water'lcvel in the tank recedes to a point below the level 30', thus opening the valve 18a and permittine' of the skimming ofthe pool for recirculation. Y Y A Should there be an abnormal loss of water either overflowing into the gutter or otherwise, and the water level in the make-up tank drop below the minimum level designated at 29, the iioatvalve'a will open, which insures a water supply for the make up tank as long as there is water in the pool.

The above provides for recirculation when the pool is maintained .at its maximum depth, but often times it becomes desirable to appreciably lower this level, in which case, by opening the valve 16, the lower fitting 14 then becomesthe drain or skimmer, and by Y lowering water level to the point marked 28, still permit of the continued uninterrupted recirculation of the water in the pool. Y

It is not desirable to have too Vmany ot these fittingsin the wall of a pool, therefore I have limited myselfto two fittings, as shown and described, representing the maximum and minimum depthsrequired. Should there arise an occasion for varying the depth of the pool to a point between the above extremes, I have provided vaV plurality of lay-passes, whereby upon closing the valve 16, and opening one of the valves 20, 21 or 22, and then lowering the water in the pool to the level of the valve opened, the water in the pool will-continue to circulate as beforel described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim Vas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v 1. In a water circulating system for swimming pools including an overow gutter, Va make-up water tank in pipedv communication with the poolfrom a point below and inde pendent of said overflow gutteigthe top or maximum water level of said make-up water tank being below the lowermost water level of said'pool.v

2. In a water circulating system for swimming pools including an overflow gutter, a makeup vwater tank in piped communication with the drain of the pool and also froman additional point below and independent of said overflow gutter, the top or maximum water level of said make-up water tank being below the lowermost water level of said pool.

V3. In a water circulating system for swimming pools including an overflow gutter, a make-up water tank in piped communication with the drain ofthe pool and also from two points below and independent'of said overflow gutter, the top or maximum water level of said make-up water tank being'below the lowermost water level of said pool.

.with said skimmer 4. In a water circulating system for swimming pools including an overflow gutter, a` make-up water tank in piped communication with the drain in the bottom ofthe pool and also from a point below and independent of said overflow gutter, the top or maximum water level of said make-up water tank being below vthe lowermost waterlevel of said pool.

r5. In a water circulating),` system for swimming` pools including an overflow lgutter and a (drain, a plurality off skimmer fittings mounted in the Vertical walls of said pool and interposed between said drain and gutter a make-up water tank in piped communication fittings and said drain means for controlling the flow of water from the pool to said make-up water tank.

6. In a water circulatingsystem for swimming pools including an'overflow gutter and a drain, a plurality of skimmer fittings interposed between said drain and gutter in the walls of the said pool, a make-up water tank in piped communication with said skimmer fittings and said drain, automatic means for controlling the flow of water from the pool to said make-up water tank.

7. In a water circulating system for swimming pools including an overflow gutter and drain, a skimmer fitting interposed between said drain and gutter, an auxiliary skimmer l fitting placed between said last mentioned skimmer fitting and said drain, a make-up water tank in piped communication with said skimmer fittings and said drain, and means for controlling the flow of water from the pool to the make-up water tank.

8. In a water circulating system for swimming pools including an overflow gutter and drain, a skimmer fitting interposed between said drain and gutter, an auxiliary skimmer fitting placed between said last mentioned skimmer fitting and said drain, a make-up water tank in independent piped communican tionA with each of said skimmer fittings and said drain, and means for controlling the flow of water `:t'rom saidvpool to the make-upwater tank. f

9. In a water circulating system forswimming pools including an overflow gutter and drain, a skimmer fitting interposed between said drain and gutter, an auxiliary skimmer fitting placed between said last mentioned skimmer fitting and said drain, a make-up water tank in independent piped communication with eacli of said skimmer fittings and said drain, and means for automatically controlling tlie flow of water from said pool to tliemake-up water tank. .l

l0. A Awater level regulating system for swimming pools including an'overflow gutter at the top edge of the pool, comp-rising a drain fitting in the bottom of the pool, a skimmer fitting interposed between said drain and gutter in the wall of said pool, an auxiliary skimmer fitting placed' between 'said last mentioned skimmer fitting and said drain, a make-up water tank in independent piped communication with eacli of said skimmer ittings, means vfor automatically controlling tlie flow of water fromy said skimmer fittings to the make-up water tank, and a plurality of valved pipe vcommunications be tween said skimmer fitting and said make-up water tank, whereby the circulatingl water level in the poolmay be manually controlled. '-7

ROY BLAIR lEVER-SON. 

